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Innovations for Existing Plants
 Water - Energy Interface
   
 
   

Water and energy are inextricably linked.  Because thermoelectric generation and fossil fuel extraction can impact water resources, it is critically important to protect U.S. water supplies while providing the energy needed to power the nation in the 21st century.  Through integrated water and energy-related activities, the Department of Energy/National Energy Technology Laboratory (DOE/NETL) Water-Energy Interface is responding to this challenge through the development and application of advanced technologies and supporting science.

Since 2002, DOE/NETL has been conducting research to reduce the amount of freshwater needed by thermoelectric power plants and to minimize potential water quality impacts.  The program sponsors research encompassing laboratory- and bench-scale activities through pilot-scale projects and is built upon partnership and collaboration with industry, academia, and other government and non-governmental organizations.  The program is built around four specific areas of research:

  • Non-Traditional Sources of Process and Cooling Water
  • Innovative Water Reuse and Recovery
  • Advanced Cooling Technology
  • Advanced Water Treatment and Detection Technology
DOE/NETL has developed water-energy program performance goals [PDF-1.6MB] to evaluate its R&D progress.  The short-term goal is to have technologies ready for commercial demonstration by 2015 that, when used alone or in combination, can reduce freshwater withdrawal and consumption by 50 percent or greater for thermoelectric power plants equipped with wet recirculating cooling technology, while achieving a levelized cost savings of at least 25 percent compared to state-of-the-art dry cooling technology.  The long-term goal is to have technologies ready for commercial demonstration by 2020 that, when used in combination, can reduce freshwater withdrawal and consumption by 70 percent or greater, while achieving a levelized cost savings of at least 50 percent compared to state-of-the-art dry cooling technology.
   

Two reports on the impact of drought on power plant cooling water intakes were completed.  The first report, “Impact of Drought on U.S. Steam Electric Power Plant Cooling Water Intakes and Related Water Resource Management Issues” [PDF-1.5MB] examined the data from form EIA-767 for power plants to determine the location of cooling water intakes.  Because of shallow intake depth, some power plants nationwide may be at risk of having to curtail or shut down operations in case of moderate or severe drought.  Elevated temperature of the intake water may cause disruptions prior to the water falling below the level of the intake. The second report “An Analysis of the Effects of Drought Conditions on Electric Power Generation in the Western United States” [PDF-1.2MB], modeled the effect of drought on western power production.  A total of five plant sites in four states were identified that would be shut down or for which operations would be curtailed.  A serious drought could effect power production in the US, and these reports give some insight into the magnitude of this effect.
   
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